“My long term goal is to make the most of all I can here at Paul Roos and to become a Rhodes Scholar because I know I can do it.”- Senzo Madikane, Paul Roos Gimnasium

This project is enabling six learners from around the country, who have shown the will and potential to succeed, to complete five years each of schooling at a good quality high school. Bursaries cover the learners’ school fees, uniforms and shoes, text books, stationery, transportation, sports equipment, musical instruments, school camps, scholar outings, school bags and projects. The six learners are mentored on an ongoing basis through visits to schools, home visits, outings, functions, newsletters and letters and regular contact with their families.

Impact

Six Grade 8 high school scholars (as proposed) are being educated at 6 schools where their parents/guardians would not have been able to afford the fees:

• Faqeer is at Groote Schuur High and did very well in most subjects during the year in Grade 8. Faqeer loves his school and feels that “I would never be able to achieve so much if I hadn’t been able to come to this school.”
• Amanda at Pinelands High School is a very talented and eloquent learner whose ambition is to be a paediatrician. She has an excellent work ethic and excels in most subjects.
• Senzo is at Paul Roos Gimnasium and is bright and ambitious and full of potential. Senzo is a gifted and passionate debater and last year was the only Grade 8 chosen to represent Boland in the national debating competition.
  
• Lynn is in Grade 9 at Rustenburg Girls’ High and is a lively pupil, involved in many aspects of school life. Lynn obtained a distinction (96%) for her music theory exam and has been chosen to be part of the Helen Keller Society (they read to blind people once a week) and the school’s Audio Visual team.
• Martin at Strand High School is a bright spark who did brilliantly in Grade 7 (achieving As and Bs for all his subjects). Martin enjoyed great success on the sporting field too and says that this “would not have been possible if he hadn’t attended a school where there were such good teachers and such good coaching.”
• Illona at Hottentots Holland High is a dedicated and hard-working learner who did well academically in 2007 in spite of difficult home circumstances. She says “I love my school and would never have had the same opportunities if I hadn’t come to HHH. I feel like everybody else here and the teachers are wonderful.”

Activities

In 2007 three newsletters were sent to scholars, a number of outings or functions were organized, home-visits conducted, reports from schools obtained, extra lessons organized and frequent contact made through telephone calls as well. Sports matches and cultural events were also attended by trustees.

The project to educate these six KiDS scholars will span their 5 years in high school starting in January 2007 and ending in December 2011. So far they have benefited from their Grade 8 year in 2007 and are all in Grade 9 in 2008.

Expenditure

The cost of the project is R300,000 which has been paid in full.

Challenges

No problems were encountered in educating and mentoring these scholars in 2007. The main challenge remains helping some of them to overcome the problems of poverty such as housing and transport. KiDS Foundation have assisted with transport in some situations and helped to make sure that practical problems – like not having a good place to study – do not stand in the way of achievement. Another challenge is to make sure that they are able to go on sports tours and school camps and to ensure that they have adequate equipment like their more privileged peers.

Monitoring and evaluation

The steps evaluate the project involve the care and mentoring of the scholars. Evaluation of their success is constant via school reports. Regular performance reviews are conducted with the scholars and intervention takes place if progress is unsatisfactory.

The monitoring and evaluation of the project will be ongoing and constant over the six learners’ five years in high school (2007 – 2011).

Conclusions

In 2008 the KiDS Foundation (turning 14 in April) celebrates the provision of 1221 years of education to 176 scholars. Over 40 alumni in the KiDS Alumni Society stay in touch with the organisation and are, for the most part, in varying stages of tertiary education and building their future. They are a diverse group and their careers range from medicine to finance to motor mechanics, teaching, law, business, advertising, journalism, fashion design, public relations, engineering and marketing. They are mindful of their pledge to one day support a KiDS scholar and it is heartening to see their determination and perseverance as they pursue their careers.

The KiDS Foundation is supported by corporate companies, several trust funds and private individuals within South Africa as well as various organizations overseas. The investment of existing funds and ongoing public relations and fundraising ensure security for the future.